


Endurance

by Ineffabilitea



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Community: blanketforts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-03
Updated: 2006-01-03
Packaged: 2017-10-08 20:58:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ineffabilitea/pseuds/Ineffabilitea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus doesn't need a defender, which is good, because he's just lost his last and best one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endurance

**Author's Note:**

> Written for **blanketforts** 2006 [third prompt](http://www.livejournal.com/community/blanketforts/18820.html#cutid1).

Sirius had always been too quick to defend. He was a lot like Harry, that way.

Remus vividly remembered a time in their third year, just after a full moon, when Snape had shoved him into a wall when passing him in the corridor between classes. He was fine; he had only stumbled a little, but before he could right himself and continue on his way, ignoring the incident, Sirius was there, right in Snape's face, pushing _him_ up against a wall and shouting, "Leave him alone! You know he hasn't been well, he doesn't need you shoving him around, you filthy Slytherin!"

"Well, well, well, Black," Snape had sneered, "I hadn't realised Lupin here was such a hothouse flower. Better tell him to watch out once you're not around to defend him."

James and Peter had come up behind them while this was going on, so with that Snape stalked off, unwilling to face the Marauders as a whole.

"'Hothouse flower'?" James asked. "What the fuck kind of insult is that?"

"A poncy one," Sirius growled. "Are you alright, Remus?"

"You shouldn't've done anything," Remus replied, half-annoyed at Sirius' interference, half-pleased that his friend was so eager to defend him. "It only makes him worse when he gets your attention."

"I just wanted to help you," Sirius had responded, looking frustrated. "Since I'm no help to you when you really need it."

***

Staring out into the garden of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Remus recalled that day, but was beyond tears for Sirius, lost defending another who had needed him. Twelve years alone had proven to the world and to himself that Remus was no hothouse flower, that he could survive the chill of loneliness and the frozen ground of poverty and if not thrive, endure. But no matter how hardy, Remus thought, a plant can only bear so many sudden frosts before its roots go into shock. Shivering despite the warm June day, Remus turned to go inside, determined to make himself a cup of tea and live another day.


End file.
